The NYPD's Chief Smolka is retiring after a 32 year career, finishing as the top cop in Manhattan south of 59th St. The position was a sweet one and now he is giving it up for a nice big pension and apparently wants to work for Revlon (Now that is a story on its own merits).
Well that would sound like something from a press release. The facts of the matter are much different. Smolka's past includes supervising the now-closed Street Crimes Unit that was responsible for the death of Amadou Diallo and the piece of news below.
From I-Witness:
Does the timing of Chief Smolka's exit from NYPD have anything to do with his upcoming civil trial for using excessive force against another woman activist? A deeply disturbing video that will be introduced as evidence in the trial shows Chief Smolka kneeing Cynthia Greenberg in the head while she is engaged in passive civil disobedience.
I-Witness Video has obtained the videotape of Chief Smolka personally taking Ms. Greenberg into custody during an anti-war demonstration at the Federal Building in Manhattan on May 5, 2003. The circumstances of the civil disobedience that day were negotiated in advance with the police department, including an understanding that arrested demonstrators would receive "desk appearance tickets" (summonses) rather than being locked up overnight.
Well that doesn't jive with the new and improved NYPD. After all of the mishaps and blatant police brutality seen around the city, it turns out we have another incident on our hands. This one goes almost to the top and it was caught on video too. I don't know about you, but if I was a protester practicing civil disobedience and I was called a c-you-next-tuesday and kneed in the face, I would be pissed. I would be more than pissed, I would want him dishonorably kicked off the force and brought to trial. That is what Cynthia Greenberg is doing.
Thankfully the trial part is already under way. The National Lawyer's Guild legal observer Adrienne Wheeler is bringing an additional suit against the police chief as well. Chief Smolka should also be brought to justice for many other reasons. He was recently named one of the top 50 most loathsome New Yorkers by the New York Press. I hope to see the full letter of the law heaped on top of this criminal with a badge, though you never know in Gotham.
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